VEEP Selection puts Southern States In Play

[jerseyhoya34]

www.wral.com/news/3530033/detail.html

Many thought that NC would not be competitive even with Kerry's selection of Edwards, but the latest statewide poll shows that the race is within the margin of error.

While Florida is the only southern state that is in the Dem column firmly, other southern and midwest states, such as TN and Missouri, if not Arkansas and Louisiani, look to be competitive at this time. (www.electoral-vote.com/)

Kerry's selection of Edwards was not going to produce an immediate 15 point jump in nationwide numbers, as Bush-Cheney '04 predicted. (The 15 point average is based on convention history, whereas Kerry selected Edwards prior to the convention). However, it does seem to have produced in-roads in some communities that would have otherwise voted for Bush.

It comes as no surprise that the "Cheney Will Drop Out" story is still floating about given how his presence is not helping out the ticket politically, as much as he might be valuable behind the scenes to Bush, as he is the so-called experienced foreign policy practitioner in the Bush WH.

[Z]

isnt it a little optimistic to say FL is "firmly" kerry's? nonetheless, i hope you're right!

[Z]

i thought the 15% bounce floated by the bush campaign was a pretty obvious ploy to make whatever bounce actually resulted seem underwhelming. in a race this tight it would be hard to imagine any vp selection paying immediate dividends of that magnitude.